Housing benefit, hundreds in credit. Can I ask for it?

[Thgyt]

Explination:

For the last few months I've been in the process of claiming PIP.

I have one non dependant in the home and because of this I lost £80 a month from my housing benefit.

My PIP claim was successful and when you recieve PIP they don't make deductions from Housing Benefit for non dependants.

My whole claim was backdated to when I first applied for PIP.

I informed the housing I now get PIP and they have now stopped the deductions and they have backdated the claim and credited my rent account with all the backdated money I wouldn't have had taken.

But the thing is I'VE been paying the difference for the last X months, so shouldn't the money have gone to me?

Rent = 400.
They've been giving me 320 because of non dependant.

I pay the £80 myself.

So they've decided I shouldn't have been paying the £80 and paid it back...but to the housing, not me.

Is that right?

My account is going to be hundreds in credit because I get FULL housing benefit now (for at least the next 4 years) so it's not like thy can say just leave it in there and use it for any shortfall.

Bump

Call them and ask them??

Yes, you can request that they refund the credit in the account. Just speak to your income officer. If rent is due week in advance, they may request you leave an equivalent credit on the account. If rent is due monthly in advance, they may be reluctant to refund the full credit

Obviously I will but I have disabilities and I like to know where I stand before I make stressful phonecalls because I get easily confused and intimidated.

It's paid monthly by HB.

But deducted weekly

So it's always in arrears, this is not an issue it's how it's done/run normally.

But when my HB is paid again in 2 weeks this time instead of the balance being zero as normal (all paid and balanced) it will be in credit.